Thera 20.10: Parapariya
Tipitaka >> Sutta Pitaka >> Khuddaka Nikaya >> Theragatha >> Thera(257):Parapariya Adapted from the Archaic Translation by Mrs. C.A.F. Rhys Davids. Note: 'C' in Pali text is pronounced as 'ch' as in 'China'. ---- Chapter XVI. Twenty Verses =257. Pārāpariya= His story has been recorded above1 Now those verses he spoke in the Lord(Buddha)'s lifetime, himself not yet arahant(enlightened), touching the governance of the six powers (five senses and mind). But these verses he uttered after the Lord(Buddha) had passed away, and when his own passing away was at hand. And in them he declared the future of bhikkhus(monks) under a perverted Path. (Now the first stanza was placed by the Compilers.) ---- 920 Samaṇassa ahu cintā pupphitamhi mahāvane,|| Ekaggassa nisinnassa pavivattassa jhāyino.|| || 921 Aññathā lokanāthamhi tiṭṭhante purisuttame,|| Iriyaɱ āsi bhakkhūnaɱ aññathā dāni dissati.|| || 922 Sīthavātaparittānaɱ hirikopīnachādanaɱ,|| Mattatthiyaɱ abhaañjiɱsu santuṭṭhā itarītare.|| || 923 Paṇītaɱ yadi vā lūkhaɱ appaɱ vā yadi vā bahuɱ,|| Yāpanatthaɱ abhuñjiɱsu agiddhā nādhimucchitā.|| || 924 Jīvitānaɱ parikkhāre bhesajje atha paccaye,|| Na bāḷhaɱ ussukā āsuɱ yathā te āsavakkhaye.|| || 925 Araññe rukkhamūlesu kandarāsu guhāsu ca,|| Vivekamanubrūhentā vihaɱsu tapparāyanā.|| || 926 Nīcā niviṭṭhā subharā mudū atthaddhamānasā,|| Abyāsekā amukharā atthacintāvasānugā.|| || 927 Tato pāsādikaɱ āsi gataɱ bhuttaɱ nisevitaɱ,|| Siniddhā teladhārā'va ahosi iriyāpatho.|| || 928 Sabbāsavaparikkhīṇā mahājhāyī mahāhitā,|| Nibbutā dāni te therā parittā dāni tādisā.|| || 929 Kusalānaɱ ca dhammānaɱ paññāya ca parikkhayā,|| Sabbākāravarūpetaɱ lujjate jinasāsanaɱ.|| || 930 Pāpakānaɱ ca dhammānaɱ kilesānaɱ ca yo utu,|| Upaṭṭhitā vivekāya ye ca saddhammasesakā.|| || 931 Te kilesā pavaḍḍhantā āvisanti bahuɱ janaɱ,|| Kīḷanti maññe bālehi ummattehi va rakkhasā.|| || 932 Kilesehābhibhūtā te tena tena vidhāvitā,|| Narā kilesavatthūsu sasaŋgāmeva ghosite.|| || 933 Pariccajitvā saddhammaɱ aññamaññehi bhaṇḍare,|| Diṭṭhigatāni anventā idaɱ seyyoti raññare.|| || 934 Dhanaɱ ca puttaɱ bhariyaɱ ca chaḍḍayitvāna niggatā,|| Kaṭacchubhikkhāhetū akiccāni nisevare.|| || 935 Udarāvadehakaɱ bhutvā sayantuttānaseyyakā,|| Kathā vaḍḍhenti paṭibuddhā yā kathā satthugarahitā.|| || 936 Sabbakārukasippāni cittīkatvāna sikkhare,|| Avūpasantā ajjhattaɱ sāmaññattho' ti acchati.|| || 937 Mattikaɱ telaɱ cuṇṇaɱ ca udakāsanabhojanaɱ,|| Gihīnaɱ upanāmenti ākaŋkhantā bahuttaraɱ.|| || 938 Dantaponaɱ kapitthaɱ ca pupphaɱ khādaniyāni ca,|| Piṇḍapāte ca sampanne ambe āmalakāni ca.|| || 939 Bhesajjesu yathā vejjā kiccākicce yathā gihī,|| Gaṇikā'va vibhūsāyaɱ issare khattiyā yathā.|| || 940 Nekatikā mañcanikā kūṭasakkhi apāṭukā,|| Bahūhi parikappehi āmisaɱ paribhuñjare.|| || 941 Lesakappe pariyāye parikappenudhavitā,|| Jīvikatthā upāyena saŋkaḍḍhanti bahuɱ dhanaɱ.|| || 942 Upaṭṭhāpenti parisaɱ kammato no ca dhammato,|| Dhammaɱ paresaɱ desenti lābhato no ca atthato.|| || 943 Saŋghalābhassa bhaṇḍanti saŋghato paribāhirā,|| Paralābhūpajīvantā ahirīkā na lajjare.|| || 944 Nānuyuttā tathā eke muṇḍā saŋghāṭipārutā,|| Sambhāvanaɱ yevicchanti lābhasakkāramucchitā.|| || 945 Evaɱ nānappayātamhi na dāni sukaraɱ tathā,|| Aphusitaɱ vā phunituɱ phunasitaɱ nānurakkhituɱ.|| || 946 Yathā kaṇaṭakaṭṭhānamhi careyya anupāhano,|| Satiɱ upaṭṭhapetvāna evaɱ gāme munī care.|| || 947 Saritvā pubbake yogī tesaɱ vattamanussaraɱ,|| Kakiñcā'pi pacchimo kālo phuseyya amataɱ padaɱ.|| || 948 Idaɱ vatvā sālavane samaṇo bhāvitindriyo,|| Brāhmaṇo parinibbāyī isi khīṇapunabbhavo' ti.|| || ---- 920 These be the thoughts that came to a Monk, Seated beneath the great forest's2 fair flowers, Lone and aloof, in deep meditation: - 921 How is the conduct of the Monks changed Since when the Sovereign of the world(Buddha), the Man Supreme, was yet staying on the earth! 922 Clothing to shield from chilly winds, to hide What should be hid, enough, no more, they sought, Enjoyed contentedly whatever came. 923 Whether the food was excellent or poor, Whether it was much or little, they partook To keep life going, free from greedy whims. 924 The requisites for men as living things, And medicine too as means to live: - for these Not fervently they cared, as care they did How to destroy the poisons of the mind. 925 In the deep forests under the shade of trees, In caverns, in the bosom of the rocks, Detachment studying and developing: - So lived they making that their instant quest. 926 Of lowly, humble being and frugal ways, Gentle of heart, pliant and apt in mind, Of gracious manner, speech not offensive, Intent on good others and for self.3 927 Pleasant and lovely therefore in their lives: - Their goings, their enjoyments, their pursuits, - Like the smooth line of a stream of oil. 928 For them every intoxicant(defilement/desire) was dead, Mighty in Jhāna they, mighty for good: Now are those Elders wholly passed away. Few now-a-days there be like unto them. 929 From dearth of good conditions and insight, The Conqueror's Rule, compact of all that's best In plan and mode, crumbles and wears away. 930 Bad the conditions and corrupt the age, In which even they, who for the life detached Had made good start, and to the higher things That yet remain follow on, - even they 931 From the swift growth of all that did corrupt, Do influence for evil many folk. I think they juggle with consciences Of fools as devils sport with the insane. 932 By the corruptions overcome, such men, - Pursuing here and there what did corrupt, As one who calls loud what he has got, -4 933 They quarrel amongst themselves, forsaking quite the blessed Path(Dhamma), and, after errors gone, Do think: - Lo! this is better, this is best. 934 They who have turned their back on wealth and wife And child, and left their home, if they but get Spoon-alms, will do things that are inappropriate. 935 They eat until they are full, then down They lie on bed, and when awakened, discourse Concerning matters which the Lord(Buddha) blamed.5 936 All arts and handicrafts they highly rate And practise: - such are bhikkhus(monks)' duties deemed, The while from inner conquest they abstain. 937 And clay and oil and powder for the bath, Water and food and lodging they present To laymen, in the hope of richer alms; 938 Yes, toothsticks also and kapiṭṭha fruit,6 Petals of flowers to chew, and curries of choice, Mangoes7 and coconut, myrobalan(amla). 939 In drug-purveying they as doctors be,8 In business matters like the lay people, Like courtezans do they parade their gear, And play the lord like any noble squire. 940 334 Adulterators they, tricksters and cheats, Unscrupulous, by many schemings, In things of this world freely they indulge, 941 Pursuing ways and methods fit for fraud, Seeking a livelihood9 by cunning craft, They draw together plentiful store of wealth. 942 To settle business is the Chapter called, Not in the interests of the holy Path(Dhamma). And when they preach to others, it is but gain That is their motive not the good of men. 943 Many there be without the Monk’s order's fold Who brawl and quarrel over the Monk’s order's gains: impolite spirits they, all unashamed To live on offerings to others given. 944 Some too there are who lacking piety, Though with head shaved, and with the yellow robe, Yearn all the while to be revered, And crave after favours, treats, and gifts. 945 Thus when so much as now is fallen away, No easy thing it is, as it was then, Either to touch and win the unattained, Or to hold fast what has been touched and won. 946 As one who shoeless walks in thorny bush, Remaining in maditative attentiveness at every step, So should the sage in township make his tour. 947 Remembering the saints of other days, And recollecting how it was they lived, Even though to-day be but the after-time, He may yet win the Ambrosial Way of Peace. 948 Thus in the sal-wood spoke the good hermit, Well-trained and practised as to his faculties. Then to the Saint came the Peace of the Passing- Came to the Seer for whom icas no rebirth. ---- 1 CCXLIX. 2 In the great wood of sāl trees (Commentary, 948). There was a 'Mahavana' at Kapilavatthu, at Vesālī, and on the Nerañjara in Magadha. Pārāpariya was a Sāvatthī Thera; hence one cannot identify the wood. 3 So the Commentary. Ver. 926-8 show the Ariyavaɱsapaṭipadā. 4 The three foregoing gāthās are full of difficulties, which, for me, are not always made intelligible by the Commentary, üpaṭṭhita-vivekīya is suvisuddhasīlacārā pi samānā. Sesadhammakā is, lit. 'remainder-of-Norm-ish.' 'Consciences' is interpolated. For sayaɱgahe, etc., sasangāme is suggested, as the battle-cry of Māra(deathlord/devil), commander of the kilesas(Sorrows). These, standing for evil or sin in general are greed, hate, dullness, conceit, error, perplexity, sloth, distraction, impudence, imprudence. Dr. Neumann cites only the first, oyer-simplifying the evil conditions. 5 Abstemiousness, lying on the side only, and avoidance of certain topics belonged to a bhikkhu's duties. Cf. Bud. Psy., p. 858; Dialogues, i. 245 (for 'herooe,' understand 'champions, athletes'); Ang. Nik., i. 114; Bud. Suttas, 227. 6 Apparently a kind of apple. Cf. Milinda, i. 202. Identified in Childers's Dictionary as Feronia elephantum. 7 Mangoes, the Commentary says, typify many fruits, such as citrons, coconuts, etc. 8 The practice of medicine and surgery for gain is disallowed for bhikkhus(monks) (Dialogues, i. 25/.). 9 Jīvikattha (where Dr. Neumann's rendering is ingenious, if strained) is paraphrased by jīvikappayojanā; ājīvahetukā. ----